The lovely people at PopChips have been kind enough to hook me up, and now we want to hook you up, too. Not only will I be featuring an assortment of PopChips-related recipes on the blog all week, but you’ll also have a chance to win a PopChips variety pack! One winner will receive 12 snack-sized bags (two of each of the following flavors). That’s some serious snacking.

Retweet or comment on this giveaway on Twitter and include the hashtag #FoodiePopChips

I’ll choose one winner out of all “entries” received next Monday (the 30th) using random.org. For shipping purposes, winner must be a residents of the continental United States. Good luck!

Now, on to today’s recipe. As if PopChips weren’t delicious enough on their own, they’re also fun to cook with. My gut instinct was to use one of the flavored varieties as a replacement for standard breadcrumbs, and for some reason the first thing that came to mind was meatballs. Must have been a craving that day, I guess. I was pleasantly surprised at how well the PopChips worked as a breadcrumb substitution, plus the extra flavor they added was a nice touch. The only problem is pulling yourself away from the PopChips long enough to use them in the recipe.

Sweet and Sour PopChips Meatballs

What you need:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

3/4 cup finely chopped red onion (about half of a small onion)

2 large garlic cloves, very finely minced

1 28-ounce can Italian-style crushed tomatoes

8 ounces beef broth

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 pound ground turkey

2 snack sized bags (approximately 40 chips) of sour cream and onion PopChips, crushed into very small pieces and lightly toasted in a dry sautee pan over medium heat until lightly browned

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Chopped chives, for garnish (optional)

How you do it:

In a large, flat bottom skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat until hot. Add onion and cook for about 4 minutes, or until softened. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute or two. Add crushed tomatoes, beef broth, brown sugar and lemon juice and stir to combine. Cover and bring sauce to a simmer while assembling the meatballs.

In a large bowl, lightly combine ground turkey, crushed and toasted PopChips, salt, pepper and egg. Don’t be afraid to use your hands! Once well mixed, shape into approximately 1 to 1.5-inch balls (recipe should yield about 20 meatballs). Gently drop meatballs into simmering sauce, partially cover and let cook for an hour.

I like the meatballs on their own with some chopped chives, but they would also be delicious as a sandwich on toasted Italian bread.

Don’t forget to enter the Fresh and Foodie PopChips giveaway! Good luck!